May 16, 2016
In debut author Voskuil’s scrappy, supernatural-tinged mystery set in the 1930s, two children hope to solve a kidnapping and collect the $1,000 reward. Ten-year-old Dorothy James was last seen at the Mummies of Ancient Egypt exhibit at the local fair, and Tunie happens to be familiar with the Harbortown Natural History Museum that houses the exhibit: she has been doing her father’s janitorial work there ever since he fell ill. Peter, who loves building gadgets, is desperate to go away to Camp Contraption over the summer, but his family can’t afford it. After the kids run into each other in the museum while looking for clues, they are shocked when the smallest mummy comes to life. They soon learn that the undead Horus was cursed for thievery, is desperate for company, and may have details about Dorothy’s kidnappers. In addition to the central mystery, Voskuil explores bullying, forgiveness, and friendship in a light-humored third-person narrative that shifts among Tunie, Peter, and Horus. Readers will enjoy spending time with all three, as well as Tunie’s pet bat, Perch. Ages 8–12. Agent: Mary Cummings, Becky Amster Literary.
May 1, 2016
A boy and girl try to rescue a kidnapped heiress for the reward money, aided by a boy mummy who suffers from a curse inflicted on him thousands of years ago.It's 1934, the middle of the Great Depression, and Peter wants to attend a summer camp for young inventors, but it's expensive--he needs that reward money. Meanwhile, Tunie struggles to make extra money and to secretly do her ailing father's custodian job--she could use that reward, too. When Tunie sneaks into the museum where her father works to clean it, she meets Peter, who is looking for clues to the kidnapping. The two white children meet Horus, a boy mummy who can't leave the museum because of his curse, and they all become friends. But when Peter and Tunie are kidnapped themselves as they pursue the reward, they will have to rely on Horus and Perch, Tunie's remarkable pet bat, to save both them and the heiress. But Horus can't leave the museum! Could he find a solution to their problem and his curse all at once? Voskuil creates an intriguing character in Horus, her little mummy, who seems poised for more adventures in the afterlife. She introduces just the right amount of tension to keep pages turning, tempering it with the supernatural mummy and the highly intelligent bat, who helps to save the day.A very nice historical mystery with a sweet dose of the paranormal. (Paranormal suspense. 8-12)
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June 1, 2016
Gr 3-6-Peter's dream is to attend Camp Contraption, engineering new inventions over summer break instead of being stuck in Harbortown with his two menacing stepbrothers. Unfortunately, Peter's family can't afford the $200 fee. Tunie's dream is for her father to recover from his serious illness. Even while sneaking in at night to do her father's job as the museum's janitor and writing calligraphy for the bakery in exchange for day-old food, Tunie can't afford a doctor's visit. When the daughter of a business tycoon goes missing at an outdoor Egypt exhibit, both Peter and Tunie decide to try to find her for the $1,000 reward. A coincidental meeting at the museum's Egyptian exhibit leads both kids to Horus, a mummy who behaved so badly in life that he was cursed to an eternity of regret. Horus was awake during the kidnapping, giving the young detectives their first clue and helping more as the mystery unfolds. Voskuil does a wonderful job of moving the plot along swiftly while also creating believable and relatable characters. The short chapters will appeal to younger and reluctant readers, but fans of Egyptian mythology will be disappointed in the limited role it plays in this title. Additionally, there is not a strong sense of the 1934 setting or where Harbortown is located geographically. VERDICT An additional purchase for most middle grade collections.-Rebecca Quinones, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
July 1, 2016
Grades 3-6 It's 1934, and the kids of Harbortown have their problems. Ten-year-old Dorothy has been kidnapped while she was attending Mummies of Ancient Egypt, a museum exhibit. Tormented by his stepbrothers, Peter dreams of rescuing Dorothy and using the reward money to escape to summer camp. Nine-year-old Tunie, who can barely afford an aspirin tablet, longs to take her seriously ill father to a doctor. And Horus, the walking, talking mummy of an ancient Egyptian child, would like to escape the curse that keeps him alive. Peter, Tunie, and Horus, along with Tunie's remarkable pet bat, mount a highly entertaining rescue mission that, despite desperate moments, leads to a happy ending. The small drawings appearing at chapter headings and the many short sentences help make this chapter book accessible to young readers. Voskuil does a good job of filling in the characters' backstories and supplying clues to the mystery while keeping up the pace of the main narrative. Recommended for readers who enjoy good old-fashioned storytelling with elements of historical fiction, fantasy, and adventure.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)
January 1, 2017
In fictional 1934 Harbortown, a reward for information about a kidnapping tempts both Peter (who wants to go to camp to escape his bullying brothers) and Tunie (who needs medicine for her ailing father). They sneak into a museum to find clues and discover cursed mummy Horus, who joins their investigation. The fantastical mystery's plot is compelling and its characters appealing.
(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)